matador
Definitions
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THE GORGEOUSLY DRESSED MATADORS ENTERING THE ARENA -
WordNet 3.6
- n matador the principal bullfighter who is appointed to make the final passes and kill the bull
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Interesting fact: The ear which the matador slices off the bull is his trophy.
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- Matador A certain game of dominoes in which four dominoes (the 4-3, 5-2, 6-1, and double blank), called matadors, may be played at any time in any way.
- Matador (Card Playing) In the game of quadrille or omber, the three principal trumps, the ace of spades being the first, the ace of clubs the third, and the second being the deuce of a black trump or the seven of a red one. "When Lady Tricksey played a four,
You took it with a matadore ." - Matador (Skat) The jack of clubs, or any other trump held in sequence with it, whether by the player or by his adversaries.
- Matador The killer; the man appointed to kill the bull in bullfights; a bullfighter; a toreador.
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Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
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Interesting fact: Orson Welles is buried in an olive orchard on a ranch owned by his friend, matador Antonio Ordonez in Sevilla, Spain.
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- n matador A killer; specifically, the man appointed to kill the bull in bull-fights. He carries in his right hand a naked sword, and in his left the muleta, a small stick with a piece of scarlet silk attached, with which, after the animal has been sufficiently tormented by the picadors and banderilleros, he draws its attention to himself, and then kills it by plunging his sword into its neck. Also written matadore.
- n matador One of the three principal cards in the games of omber and quadrille. These three are the ace of clubs, the ace of spades, and the two of trumps should clubs or spades be trumps, or the seven of trumps should hearts or diamonds be trumps.
- n matador In the game of solo, the spadella, manilla, or basta (which three are known as the higher matadors), and, if these are all obtained by one side, any one of all lower cards held in uninterrupted sequence in one hand: the latter are known as lower matadors.
- n matador In skat, every trump in unbroken sequence with The highest trump, if in the same player's hand or on the same side as the highest trump. See skat.
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Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
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Interesting fact: Bulls are colorblind, therefore will usually charge at a matador's waving cape no matter what color it is -- be it red or neon yellow
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- n Matador mat-a-dōr′ the man who kills the bull in bull-fights: one of the three chief cards at ombre and quadrille.
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Etymology
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
Sp. matador, prop., a killer, fr. matar, to kill, L. mactare, to sacrifice, kill
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
Sp. matador—matar, to kill—L. mactāre, to kill, to honour by sacrifice—mactus, honoured.
Usage
In literature:
The trick of the matador with his red cloak suggested itself in this moment of peril.
"Popular Adventure Tales" by Mayne Reid
Never before, it appeared from his enthusiasm, had Madrid known such a matador as Sebastiano.
"The Pretty Sister Of José 1889" by Frances Hodgson Burnett
THE MATADOR OF THE FIVE TOWNS.
"Werwolves" by Elliott O'Donnell
The matadore is regarded as quite a hero by the masses of the people, receiving a princely remuneration for his services.
"Due West" by Maturin Murray Ballou
The matadores and their substitutes commanded all these combatants, and wore the most luxurious costumes.
"Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 7" by Various
The matador comes forward.
"The Harmsworth Magazine, v. 1, 1898-1899, No. 2" by Various
I am not fitted to wrestle with the wild beasts of the money market; I would rather go to Spain and be a matador.
"A Singer from the Sea" by Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr
The other fighters withdrew and the matador advanced with a scarlet flag in one hand and his naked sword in the other.
"Due South or Cuba Past and Present" by Maturin M. Ballou
Heaven help the matador, whom fate should throw into the path of that terrible creature.
"Mabel's Mistake" by Ann S. Stephens
Again the interpreter side-stepped, just in time, and with the dexterity of a matador.
"The Plow-Woman" by Eleanor Gates
As Matador is played with dominoes no higher than six, a blank means the blocking of that end.
"Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 6" by Various
Alas, poor matador de cochinos!
"Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. II." by John L. Stephens
It was not prudent for a matador to be seen with them.
"The Blood of the Arena" by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez
Like a prizefighter or a matador, she'd spent long painful hours perfecting style, technique, art.
"The Samurai Strategy" by Thomas Hoover
The matador vainly tempts the bull to charge the blanket.
"A Yankee in the Far East" by George Hoyt Allen
The bull showed no signs of death, so the matador went away to procure another sword.
"Poor Folk in Spain" by Jan Gordon
Instead of the fat, meek ox on a sign, we have a mad bull charging a Spanish matador.
"The Minute Man of the Frontier" by W. G. Puddefoot
With the easy magnificence of a matador and maestro, he turned to the American.
"The Wolf Cub" by Patrick Casey
All three of the matadors were injured.
"With the Battle Fleet" by Franklin Matthews
It was not easy of belief that Lempriere should be set to fight this matadore of a fighting court.
"A Ladder of Swords" by Gilbert Parker
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In news:
Greg Kinnear's ' Matador '.
The Matador (Underbelly Bender Concert #2.
Pierce My Heart 007 is The Matador .
The Matador is a nice year-end surprise worth checking out.
A good bet to wager with friends is that Matador will be busy, especially weekends, especially at Happy Hour.
Shearwater 's Animal Joy, their eighth album, marks a dramatic shift for the Austin band, not just in labels, from Matador to Sub Pop, but a career changing sonic transition as well.
Matador, 1992 The quintessential American indie-rock album.
He's the shy-but-noisy Matador rock 'n' roller we splashed on the cover two weeks ago and knighted Best Local Artist of 2009.
Listen to the Matador band's lo-fi second LP.
"Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" is from 'Shut Down the Streets,' due out on October 9 via Matador/Last Gang.
The AWC Matadors will play host to the Lions of Nassau Community College Saturday, Dec 1.
Matadors won't back down against Bruins.
The Bulldawgs beat the Matadors 76-27.
Matadors win Speck as DHS girls see what is needed.
The Matadors used a huge run in the second half and distanced themselves from Scottsdale Community College in a 72-39 win at The House.
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